Ellie And Joel Part II : The truth
by Karinne
Summary: Ellie finally asks Joel for the truth about the Fireflies.


**Author's notes** : Second part of my short - okay, very short lol - stories about Joel and Ellie from the video game The Last Of Us. Like the first one, this one takes place ( years after the events of the game.

Ellie was washing the dishes when she saw the men of the neighborhood coming home from their afternoon of work, repairing the roofs of several houses. The sun had been very hot and they all looked exhausted. Especially Joel. Ellie looked at his face and her eyes went down on his bare chest and on the scar that he had on his belly. She tried to erase this bad time from her memory and shook her head, trying to focus on her task. She heard the front door open and close. Ellie turned around to observe Joel and asked him if he was okay.

"Yeah… Yeah, just a bit tired. And I need a shower. Thanks for that kiddo."

He pointed the dishes and climbed the stairs to the bathroom.

She'll have to wait until he comes back down with her to ask him. Back when he saved her from the brain surgery, he had told her a story she had never quite believed. Even when she was only fourteen. Now, she was nineteen and the more she thought of his words, the less they sounded likely. She deserved to know the truth. Confronting him was out of question, she didn't want him to have the impression that she was mad. How could she? He risked his life so many times for her and sacrificed something probably important. Ellie doubted there was a selfish reason for that but in the end, it meant that he couldn't live without her.

After her chore was done, she prepared two cold infusions and patiently waited for Joel to come back in the kitchen. She was staring at the window when she heard the bathroom door open. Her heart skipped a beat. He went down the stairs and smiled at her when he saw the mug.

"Thanks, Ellie", he said to her, taking a sip.

"Joel, there's something I have to ask you."

He knew that when she kept her eyes down, it meant she was afraid of something.

"I'm all ears."

Ellie looked through the window and took a deep breath.

"What is the truth about the Fireflies? Back in Salt Lake City."

His features became suddenly serious and a bit apprehensive. And he frowned, the same way he frowned when he had lied to her.

"No lies, I know what you told me was not right. I just wanna know what happened over there."

"When did you figure it all out?"

"From the moment you told me."

He sneered, of course, she had known from day one that he had been lying. She was smart. He rubbed his lower face. How to tell her? He looked at her in the eyes. She was waiting for an answer. As he laid his eyes on her, he noticed how mature she had become. Her eyes held something dark, of course. She didn't have these angelic, round eyes anymore.

"They wanted to take your brain in order to create a vaccine. Marlene wouldn't let me see you."

She immediately got it, they had wanted to kill her. Even Marlene. They hadn't cared about her life or her opinion at all. She needed a few seconds before she could speak.

"So, what did you do?"

It was a tricky question.

"I got you out of the building, trying to avoid as many militaries as I could. And when I arrived in the parking lot…"

He paused. She decided not to rush him and gave him the time.

"Marlene would've come after you, I couldn't take that chance, Ellie."

"You killed her?"

"I couldn't let her do any harm to you."

Ellie looked down, disturbed by the conflicting emotions she was overwhelmed with. Marlene had helped here from the moment she was bitten… Just for the vaccine, of course. Joel had indeed sacrificed the sake of humanity for their sake. For both of them. She had been right about the selfish part.

"Do you… Did you do this because you really care for me or because you didn't wanna end up alone?"

He looked upset by her words, even though she had pronounced them quietly. She knew that she was about to break. Crying or screaming, whatever, but she recognized this building feeling inside her stomach. He shook his head in disbelief and took her face in his hands. That surprised her, him being usually distant.

"I wouldn't mind being alone if you hadn't come into my life. But you're here for a reason. And I'm way too selfish to make you go away. You know it, I would die for you."

This was the first time in all those years Joel admitted he deeply cared for her. She thought of this and her eyes filled with tears. He wiped them away with his thumbs.

"You're the only one I have left," she managed to tell him in spite of her voice being stifled by her tears.

"Just keep in mind that I did this for your survival, because that's what it's all about. Survival."

She nodded and hugged him tightly.


End file.
